I'm still hoping that one of these years they just let Ferrell, Jack Black, Vince Vaughn, Stiller and the Wilson brothers have at it, but in the meantime, Stewart is a great choice. Wow, from Big Daddy to Oscar host.....big ups to Jon!

While I'm glad he turned it down what the hell could Billy Crystal have on his plate that is bigger than hosting the Oscars? I mean they could put off production of the Legend of Curley's Gold III for a couple of days. I swear some of these people turn it down just to act like they are above the entire industry.

Most people spend a month or so preparing for hosting this, so it's not a matter of shutting down the movie for a couple of days. Stewart said that The Daily Show will be shut down for only a week (nothing new to them, as they take a week off everyone once in a while anyways) and everyone was in shock.

Originally posted by JacksonWhile I'm glad he turned it down what the hell could Billy Crystal have on his plate that is bigger than hosting the Oscars? I mean they could put off production of the Legend of Curley's Gold III for a couple of days. I swear some of these people turn it down just to act like they are above the entire industry.

It could be just that Crystal is tired of doing it after hosting 7-8 times in the past. Hosting the Oscars has lost a lot of the prestige that it once did, so perhaps the thrill isn't there for Crystal any more.

That said, it'll be fun to see Stewart crack wise, and I hope the Academy lets him bring in some of the Daily Show writers to produce material. It would be worlds better than the garbage Bruce Vilanch and company foist upon us on a yearly basis.

Originally posted by Big Bad Hosting the Oscars has lost a lot of the prestige that it once did

I really wouldn't say that. It still seems like it is a big deal when you are asked to host the Oscars. It is a somewhat newsworthy story when the host is announced, and it helps cement the fact that the person who is picked has reached the top of the comedic mountain.

Originally posted by JacksonWhile I'm glad he turned it down what the hell could Billy Crystal have on his plate that is bigger than hosting the Oscars? I mean they could put off production of the Legend of Curley's Gold III for a couple of days. I swear some of these people turn it down just to act like they are above the entire industry.

It could be just that Crystal is tired of doing it after hosting 7-8 times in the past. Hosting the Oscars has lost a lot of the prestige that it once did, so perhaps the thrill isn't there for Crystal any more.

That said, it'll be fun to see Stewart crack wise, and I hope the Academy lets him bring in some of the Daily Show writers to produce material. It would be worlds better than the garbage Bruce Vilanch and company foist upon us on a yearly basis.

How DARE YOU speak ill of the comedic talents of Bruce Vilanch! That's like saying Benoit can't wrestle his way out of a papre bag. (Get it, he's short, so he could actually FIT in the bag... ANYWAYS!)

Billy Crystal seems to pick his hosting gigs on the quality of the jokes he can dish out. Lets look at the Best Picture catagory for the past few years when he has hosted...

1990 - DANCES WITH WOLVES, GOODFELLAS, GHOST, GODFATHER PART III, AWAKENINGS.1991 - SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, BUGSY, JFK, PRINCE OF TIDES, and BEAUTY AND THE BEAST.1992 - UNFORGIVEN, A FEW GOOD MEN, HOWARD'S END, THE CRYING GAME, SCENT OF A WOMAN.1993 - SCHINDLER'S LIST, IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, THE FUGITIVE, THE PIANO, REMAINS OF THE DAY.1997 - TITANIC, AS GOOD AS IT GETS, GOOD WILL HUNTING, LA CONFIDENTIAL, THE FULL MONTY.1998 - SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE, SAVING PRIVATE RYAN, THE THIN RED LINE, ELIZABETH, LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL.2000 - GLADIATOR, TRAFFIC, ERIN BROCKOVICH, CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON, CHOCOLAT.2004 - MILLION DOLLAR BABY, RAY, THE AVIATOR, SIDEWAYS, FINDING NEVERLAND.

His first four years each featured films that made tons of money and were ripe for joking at. then he skipped 1994-1996 and came back for 1997 and 1998 obviously for TITANIC in 1997 and the film that should have won in 1998, SAVING PRIVATE RYAN (Which was robbed!). He skipped 1999 and poped back in again in 2000 for GLADIATOR and CROUCHING TIGER. Took of a few more years till 2004 when there wasn't really in great films laugh at, but he probably was just bored and wanted a easy pay check. Go back and watch the show and you'll notice that he wasn't really into it all that much last year.

1994 would have been a good year for Crystal, but 1995 and 1996 were busts. The same can be said about 1999 with it's one joke film. 2002-2003 kinda ruins my theory though. If a short, hairy comic can't make fun of short, hairy movie characters, he can't ba as funny as he thinks he is, but then again, he possibly just did not want to be making fun of him self for three years in a row, so he backed out. I seen to recall that he WAS supposed to host back in 2001, but he opted out of it.

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I will agree that hosting has lost something, but only because to films they're pushing aren't as fun anymore. This years 'early leader', BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN is about gay cowbays... that's already a joke, why bother?